Lisa Junkin Lopez

Lisa Junkin Lopez shapes the way learners of all ages connect with Shedd Aquarium’s mission, leading the creation of programs that spark curiosity, deepen understanding and bring guests closer to the animals and conservation work that define the aquarium. As Vice President, Learning and Community, she oversees guest programming, Shedd's diverse suite of learning and conservation experiences in schools, neighborhoods and nature across Chicagoland; community partnerships; research and elevation; and river restoration projects,

Junkin Lopez is a seasoned museum leader whose career spans arts organizations, historic sites, university museums and the aquarium. Before joining Shedd, she was the executive director of the Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace, owned and operated by Girl Scouts of the USA. As ED she updated the site to preserve and interpret women’s history with a focus on empowering 21st century girls. Junkin Lopez also led the master plan development for a large-scale renovation that furthered accessibility and preservation to ensure the National Historic Landmark will continue to be enjoyed by future generations.

Prior to her work with the Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace, Junkin Lopez curated innovative exhibits and programs as the interim director and associate director of the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum. Through strategies for co-creation with communities and content that bridged historical and contemporary topics, her work helped to reinvigorate one of the nation’s most important historical landmarks

In addition to her role at Shedd, Junkin Lopez is on the board of directors for the Chicago Council on Science and Technology and an adjunct professor at the University of Illinois – Chicago. She has previously served on the board of editors for The Public Historian, the official publication of the National Council on Public History, and on the board of directors of the Dill Pickle Food Cooperative. She volunteers with the National Alliance for the Empowerment of the Formerly Incarcerated.